


Living Things

by BeccaTobichu



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:33:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27740818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeccaTobichu/pseuds/BeccaTobichu
Summary: Obito's a normal kid just trying to get through middle school. Though, sometimes that can be harder then one thinks.
Kudos: 5





	1. Powerless

Pencil scratches on paper, eyes darting up to look at the board every few moments, and then the clock, and then back to his paper. Clock. Board. Paper. Board. Paper. Clock---- it had only been two minutes, but it felt like eternity to the boy. He lets out a quiet sigh, a sound of both boredom and frustration. The teacher droned on and on, but it didn’t seem as if he was actually hearing any of it. More notes, more reading, more talking. Thirty minutes left of the class. He hears a quiet sound behind him, but it doesn’t register. The pencil in his back does though, along with a hiss of his name.

“Obito---”

Obito turns around just enough to glare over his shoulder at the other boy. Here he was trying to focus for once, but of course that couldn’t work out for him, could it?

“What do you want, Genma?”

The half smile never fades from Genma’s face, knowing-- and reveling-- in the fact he’s being a pain in the ass. It never stops him though. The stick of his ever present sucker sticks from his mouth, bobbing with his words as he speaks.

“Asuma’s wantin’ to go get barbeque after class---- you in?” He looks smug, but the question is genuine, and Obito hums in thought. He feels like there was something going on today, but he can’t quite remember. He chews on his lip as he thinks before lightly shaking his head.

“I don’ know. I gotta talk to Minato-sensei after class----”

“We’ll wait for you.”

Obito blinked owlishly, eyes wide behind his glasses. Wait for him? He half expected Gemna to scoff and wonder what he would have to talk to the teacher about. Maybe poke fun at him for it or something. Not offer to wait. Especially given Obito’s, uh----- less than favorable record with keeping track of time. Obito’s mouth screws up into something not quite a scowl, but close.

“How ‘bout y’all go on without me, an’ I’ll catch up if I can.” He didn’t want to make them wait to eat just because he sometimes got lost in conversation. He could be there for a good hour if he wasn’t careful. Genma hum and haws in response, as if thinking long and hard about it before giving a nod.

“I’ll tell Asuma.”

Obito nods before turning back to his notebook, eyebrows drawn together. He had no idea what Minato was talking about now, and his own notes seemed to swim in front of his eyes in a disorganized mess of confusion and chaos. He notices Kurenai looking at him out of the corner of her eye and realizes he’s bouncing his leg under his desk, causing it to quietly squeak. A quiet apology is mumbled in embarrassment as he forces himself to stop, though Kurenai only shakes her head a little. They had all but gotten used to his little ticks. The leg bouncing, the pacing around when he got excited---- they had all learned pretty quickly not to ask him for a pen or pencil because he tended to chew on them.

Obito runs his hands over his face, taking another glance up at the clock. Twenty minutes left of class. He huffs before focusing himself to focus on Minato--- though that only seems to make his mind want to wander more. Just twenty----- nineteen more minutes left of class. He could do it.

Even if every moment of it felt like torture.

It feels like forever before the bell rings, and Obito gives a sigh of relief, slumping down in his chair a bit. He felt like his brain was fried, and he still didn’t understand half of what they had learned today. Why was history so hard for him? Times and places and names just got mixed up so easily in his head---- it was like trying to untangle a stubborn string of lights. Genma claps him on the shoulder as he walks past, saying something about seeing him at the restaurant, and Obito can’t help but groan softly. He had already forgotten he had agreed to that. A part of him just wanted to go home and climb into bed, but at the same time, hanging out with his friends sounded good. He flips his notebook closed before slipping it into his bag and sliding off his chair, looking around the classroom as he approached Minato.

“I’m guessing this has something to do with what you were talking to Genma about earlier?” Minato doesn’t even look over at him as he gets his stuff together, and Obito’s face screws up a bit.

“You caught that?” Oh, what’s he saying--- of course Minato caught that, and the look he gets in return is the only confirmation he needs of that. “Asuma’s wantin’ some of us to go out for barbeque, but I feel like there’s somethin’ else happening today, but I can’t remember...” Obito’s voice gets quiet and trails off at the end, his eyebrows drawn together, and Minato knows it’s frustration that causes it. He gives a soft chuckle in response, sitting down in his desk chair to be more at eye level with the boy.

“Kushina and I were wanting to go out for dinner, so I guess it’s good you’ve found something to do as well.”

“That’s it?” Obito looks confused. He kind of remembers this conversation, since it meant leaving him at home alone. He didn’t understand why they always felt bad about doing it. He had proven well enough that he could take care of himself, especially for only a few hours. And he can tell in Minato’s expression that he doesn’t understand why Obito doesn’t find it as big of a deal as he does. “So I can go with them for barbecue?” He wants to change the subject, and Minato happily obliges, giving a nod.

“Of course, I don’t mind. And I’m sure Kushina won’t either.” Minato turns back to his desk, getting the rest of the things he needed into his bag as Obito turns and starts to leave, excitement causing a bounce in his step. “And Obito?” The boy stops, giving an over exaggerated sigh as he turns back to Minato.

“If you need help with any of the material, you can ask, you know?”

Obito’s eyebrows draw together once more, gaze darting away. His grip on the strap of his bag tightens, teeth wearing at his lower lip. Minato nods the pause, even if it’s really only for a single second, and own quiet sigh sounding softly.

“I know, Sensei----” Ah. Obito turns and leaves to catch up with his friends, and Minato lets out a louder sigh this time. He knew slowly he was getting through to the boy. But he knew it would take more time.

One day.


	2. In My Remains

“Hey, Bakashi----”

Kakashi gives a hum in surprise before turning to Obito---- just in time to see him trip and fall flat on his face. He gives a sigh before turning and starting to walk away again, though a shout from Obito makes him stop again, standing there as the other stands back up and comes up beside him, the two of them starting to walk together.

“What did you get on the test?” There’s something in Obito’s eyes that Kakashi can’t tell is determination, desperation, or something else.

“You’re starting to sound like Gai.”

“Ew, please never say that again.” He’s smiling as he says it though, and they both know he’s only joking. Gai was one of the best at keeping up with Obito’s energy after all, and Obito was glad for his company.

“I got a 98.”

“Of course you did.” Obito scowls, gaze moving to the ground as he kicks a pebble, hands shoving themselves into his pockets.

“And yet, you keep trying.” He sounds almost  _ bored _ , though there’s a glimmer in curiosity in his gaze as he peeks at Obito from the corner of his eye, though he knows the other is too busy  _ moping _ to notice it. Ah, and there’s the ever familiar set of his mouth in determination, though now it’s Kakashi that can’t read the silent, underlying emotion within it.

“Of course. I gotta beat you.”  _ Gotta _ ? Kakashi doesn’t understand what he means by  _ gotta _ , but he doesn’t have the chance to ask as Obito continues. “And I’m  _ gonna _ beat you!” He grins widely, teeth flashing as he turns his head to his companion, giving a quiet laugh. “After all, I’m the best there is!”

Kakashi only gives a noncommittal hum in response, and Obito wishes he didn’t have half his face covered so that he’d be easier to read. Although, maybe that’s the point. He doesn’t dwell on it, only giving Kakashi a glare, though there’s no actual malice in it.

“ _ What _ ? You don’t think I am?”

“Isn’t your nephew already better at math then you are---?” Kakashi cuts himself off, though he knows it’s too late. Obito glowering at the ground now, frustration on his features. He loves his nephew, Kakashi knows he does---- he won’t shut up about him sometimes--- but bringing up his family always seemed to be a sore spot. And Kakashi  _ knows _ this--- because it’s the same for him. And yet, he had slipped up, he knew. He looks away for a moment, in part to mentally give Obito some space, but also to think. In all the ways Obito got on Kakashi’s nerves, he didn’t  _ hate _ the other boy, even if some of the other kids seemed to think he did. He wondered if Obito himself thought he did. He found him a bit annoying sometimes, sure, he did a lot of people, but he knew Obito meant no  _ harm _ . Honestly, Obito was probably more of a threat to  _ himself _ then Kakashi. He got so spacey sometimes, and it made him quite accident prone, Kakashi had noticed. Something catches Kakashi’s eyes, and he glances back at Obito---- he won’t notice.

“Here.” Obito blinks when Kakashi speaks up, looking over at him--- to see him holding out an ice cream cone to him. Rocky road even-- Obito’s favorite. There’s a few moments of silence, they’ve both stopped walking.

“Is this a trick?” His eyes are narrowed at Kakashi, though he doesn’t actually seem very suspicious, and Kakashi withdraws the treat.

“Fine, I’ll just eat both of these myself---”

“Wait, wait, wait----” Obito’s quick to backtrack, and Kakashi hands over the ice cream before he can say anything more. There’s a gleam in the taller boy’s eyes as he takes it, admiring it for a few moments before---- taking a bite.

“Did you just  _ bite _ your ice cream?”

“Yeah?” Obito seems confused----- or at least, he’s feigning it. There’s a mischievous smile on his face, and Kakashi can tell he gets asked that any time he’s seen eating ice cream. Kakashi just shakes his head, not sure if he’s surprised or not. Obito’s always been pretty  _ unconventional _ after all.

They walk together for a while longer. Mostly in silence, Kakashi not much of a talker, and Obito eating, though sometimes one of them will pipe up about something. They soon come to an intersection of roads where they have to split and say their goodbyes, Kakashi starting on his way.

“Hey, Kakashi-----”

Kakashi blinks, stopping in his tracks before turning back around to Obito, who looks a bit nervous. It wasn’t often Obito didn’t use that awful nickname for him.

“Thank you----” And he spins on his heel and quickly walks away, leaving Kakashi to blink after him in surprise in confusion.

Obito was a  _ mystery _ .


	3. Tinfoil

“Do you think ducks dream?”

Minato stops mid sip of his drink, not wondering where the question came from, but does he ever know where any of the questions Obito asks come from? And how he asks them---- like it’s a question he’s been stewing over for hours upon hours. Although, as far as Minato knows, maybe he has. Obito’s brain works in ways he knows even the boy doesn’t quite understand.

“Maybe.” It’s only a second of a pause before Kushina answers, and both Minato and Obito can tell by the sound of her voice that she’s curious too. “I wonder what they’d dream about. Bread?”

“Maybe they have nightmares of all their feathers falling out.” Minato can’t help but snort at the boy’s suggestion, and the imagery it provides.

“Do you think they pay bird taxes?” That earns a quiet ‘ _ bird taxes _ ….?’ from Kushina, but now Minato is thinking too, lightly scratching his cheek before he continues. “Maybe there’s a leader in their flock they have to give a little bit of the fish they catch to.” Kushina opens her mouth to respond, but finds she can’t think of anything to say and simply shakes her head and chuckles.

“What even brought on this, Obito?” She only seems curious, an eyebrow raised at the boy, who only shrugs in response.

“I dunno. It just  _ did _ .” As it seems most questions he tends to ask at the dinner table. Sometimes Minato wished he could take a glance into his head, wanting to know how those thoughts come and go. How they linger or vanish. His mind always seems to be moving, never settling for long. And sure enough, his mind already seems to be flitting to some other subject already, though he doesn’t speak up anymore, starting back on the food in front of him that had been forgotten momentarily.

He’s soon finished with his meal, taking his plate to the sink and rinsing it off before heading up to his room. He gives a soft sigh as he shuts the door.

“‘Do ducks dream?’ Why the fuck did I actually ask that outloud?” A hand rubs over his face as he makes his way over to his bed, flopping down and rolling onto his back to stare up at the ceiling. Little glow in the dark stars stare back at him, soothing in their dim light. He remembered being surprised when Minato had noticed him looking at them, and then had gotten them for him, had helped him set them up. Obito sits up.

There’s a lot Minato does that surprises him. Kushina too. Like that conversation earlier. If it was his father-- or a lot of his other family, really-- they wouldn’t have entertained the thought. They would’ve stared at him, silently wondering why he was like this. Hell,  _ he _ wondered why he was like this. Even his little four-year-old nephew-- little Itachi, one of the few of his family he spent time with-- looked at him with bemused confusion sometimes.

He guesses he shouldn’t be surprised. He was already twelve-- a few months from being thirteen-- but sometimes his thoughts seemed so childish even to him. Not to mention his complete lack of any useful skills. He could draw, sure. Could find and name most of the constellations in the sky. And he could make almost  _ perfectly _ shaped onigiri. But none of that was really  _ useful _ . None of it helped his dismal grades. His terrible sense of time. His inability to get to his desk to do his homework.

Ugh, why did his brain have to bring  _ that _ up. He didn’t want to have to do his homework, but there was his bag by his desk, taunting him. As if he knew how much he hated it. He knew how it would go. He’d sit down and try and start and get stuck on the third question and take a break before he lost his patience and then never get back to it and then he’d get in trouble in his classes tomorrow. It’s how it was everyday, unless he forgot his homework completely. It wasn’t as if he  _ wanted _ bad grades--- but no matter how hard he tried to focus, it only seemed to make it worse. He lets out a sigh, pulling his phone out of his pocket. He had felt it vibrate in his pocket during dinner, but had been too wrapped up in the inner workings of duck brains that he hadn’t cared enough to look at it.

It was from Asuma. Apparently they were wanting to plan something for Rin’s birthday and wondering if he’d be in. What a dumb question. Of course he’d be in. Rin was his best friend. She was nice and funny and pretty and, okay, maybe he had a  _ small _ crush on her, but really, who wouldn’t? She had been the first person to befriend him, back when they first started school. He wished he could tell her how much her kindness meant to him-- especially back then-- but that would mean the probability of opening a can of worms he didn’t want to go anywhere  _ near _ . He wasn’t even sure if  _ Fugaku _ quite knew all the details, and he was Obito’s  _ brother _ , even if there was a sizable age gap between them. Though, he guesses that’s why Fugaku wouldn’t really know. He was already moved out before it all started. Maybe that was  _ why _ it had started.

Obito gives a swift shake of his head, immediately wanting to think of something--  _ anything _ \-- else. He shoots Asuma a message back, saying to just give him any details and he’ll be there. He’ll have to find a good gift for her, wondering what she could want. Maybe Anko would know? Or Kurenai? He messages them both right quick, giving a small yawn afterwards. He knew he couldn’t quite go to bed just yet though.

He had homework to try to do.


	4. Lost In The Echo

“You really love that stuff, hunh?” Her question earns her a huff, and she laughs. They do this every time, and so Obito doesn’t even answer beyond a mumble, trying to sound grumpy. She reaches out and playfully ruffles his hair, though he quickly swats her hand away, trying to fix his hair— as if that rats nest he calls a hairstyle can be fixed. He sticks his tongue out at her after he’s done, and Minato shakes his head at both of them from behind him.

Obito peels away from them while they're looking at meats to duck into the candy aisle. He should have enough of his allowance left to get himself some—-

“Obito.”

He yelps at the sound of his name, wheeling around to find Kakashi standing behind him. He was always so  _ quiet _ . This wasn’t the first time he had snuck up on him, and probably without even meaning to.

“What are you doing here, Bakashi?”

“It’s…..a grocery store— what do you  _ think _ I’m doing here?” Obito feels his cheeks flush in embarrassment, though Kakashi is, as always, unfazed. “I need to get behind you.”

Obito gives a small sound before scooting out of the way, Kakashi grabbing a pack of gum and tossing it into his basket.

“I never took you as a gum person.” Kakashi shrugs in response. Obito sticks tongue out a bit at seeing the kind he got. “Of course you’d like mint, though.”

“Mint’s good.”

“Sure, if you like your mouth tingling for….hours….” His words trail off at the look on Kakashi’s face, a mixture of confusion and disbelief clear, even if most of his face is covered up.

“Mouth tingling….?”

“I---- yeah…..? Does yours not---?”

“I don’t think any normal person’s does.” The smaller boy gives a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. There’s a moment before he speaks again. “Are you possibly allergic to mint?”

“I- _ I don’t know _ \---”  _ Was _ he allergic? Was that even possible? Kakashi gives another sigh, and a shake of his head.

“Well, glad to help you learn something about yourself today.” Obito gives a huff in response, shooting a glare at Kakashi, his mouth set in a scowl.

“Yeah,  _ thanks _ .” Sarcasm drips off his words, and there’s an ever so slight raise of Kakashi’s eyebrows, and Obito knows he’s amused; those small tells that Obito’s learned after knowing Kakashi for so long. He’s about to say something else before he hears a voice behind him, calling to Kakashi.

Both boys turn to find Kushina making her way to them, reaching down to give Kakashi’s hair a ruffle when she’s close enough. Obito wonders what’s with her and doing that to them as Kakashi politely shoos her hand away and smooths down his hair. Not that it does anything, of course. Kakashi’s hair was a lot like Obito’s, in that it did whatever it felt like. It bent to no one’s will. On the plus side, he didn’t think he had ever seen Kakashi with a bad hair day, and he was sure he hadn’t ever had one either.

Kakashi glances over to Obito, only half listening to Kushina talking to him, but still answering when prompted to, though he doesn’t say much else. He was never one for talking in the first place, and is happy to let someone else carry the conversation. He knows Obito is trying to hide it, but he can see he’s uncomfortable. Kakashi knows his little secret-- him living with Kushina and Minato-- but Obito doesn’t know that he does. He didn’t want to say anything, wanted to let Obito come to him and everyone whenever he wanted to.

He wonders for a second if it’s for the same reason that he doesn’t tell anyone he lives alone. The Uchiha are known to be genius, and strict, and well----- quite the opposite to Obito. Kakashi knew he already got quite a bit of ire for already being so  _ different _ . He was an Uchiha. He was supposed to be able to handle himself. Though, Kakashi knows this is all just speculation on his part. He may have known Obito since they were five, but there was still a lot he didn’t know about the other. Especially after they started drifting apart a few years ago.

Ah, maybe that’s why Obito is so keen on being better than him? It was stupid. Kakashi was better in school. That was the truth, and he was sure that wouldn’t change. But even still, Obito surprised him sometimes with his knowledge of other subjects. His knowledge of animal behaviors was something that honestly impressed him, and Kakashi was sure he would have never gotten his pug, Pakkun, to like him as much as he did without Obito’s advice.

Of course, he would never say it outloud. Obito wouldn’t accept any kind of thanks from him, he was sure of that. Stubborn little shit.

~~ As if he could talk. ~~

Kakashi returns his full attention to Kushina, just in time to see Minato joining them, and after a few words with them both, excuses himself to finish his shopping and return home. He pays for his items and steps out of the shop, his mind stilled for a moment as the sounds of birds nearby find their way to him. He stands there for a moment, wondering how things would be between Obito and him and only one or two things been different. If Obito was still living with his family. If Kakashi’s father was still alive. Would they still have drifted apart? He wonders what caused Obito to start living with Minato in the first place. Was it similar to his own situation? He wonders if he could ask Itachi about Obito’s father without it being too strange. After all, that would be his grandfather. Though, the child would probably notice immediately something was up. Kakashi already didn’t speak with him much, but he knew that child was much sharper than any four year old should be.

~~ Again, he wasn’t one to talk, though. ~~

He gives one more soft sigh, letting all those thoughts dissipate for now. Right now, he needed to focus on what to make for dinner. He starts heading home, the sky a rosey pink above him as the sun starts dipping below the horizon.

Maybe someday he’ll invite Obito over.


End file.
